Chapter 7 – Other Accountability System Processes
The vast majority of accountability ratings can be determined through the process detailed in Chapters 3-6. Accommodating all campuses and districts in Texas increases the complexity of the accountability system but also ensures the fairness of ratings assigned. This chapter
describes other processes necessary to implement the accountability system.
Required Improvement
Beginning in 2014, the Level III Advanced performance standard will be used to evaluate Index 3 and the final Level II performance standard will be used to evaluate Index 4. A separate required improvement calculation at the index level for campuses and districts that do not meet the accountability target for the index will be considered for 2015 and beyond when the
underlying indicators can be more appropriately used for year-to-year comparisons.
Pairing
All campuses serving grades PK-12 must receive an accountability rating. Campuses with no state assessment results due to grade span served are incorporated into the accountability system by having districts choose another campus within the same district with which to pair for
accountability purposes. Districts may pair a campus with the district and be evaluated on the district’s results.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) determines which campuses need to be paired for any given accountability cycle after analyzing enrollment files submitted on the Public Education
Information Management System (PEIMS) submission 1. If a district operates campuses that only serve students in grades not tested on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic
Readiness (STAAR) (i.e., PK, K, or grades 1, or 2), they need to be paired with another campus in the district or with the district itself.
Charters and alternative education campuses (AECs) registered for evaluation under alternative education accountability (AEA) provisions are not asked to pair any of their campuses.
Paired data are not used for distinction designation indicators. This means that paired campuses cannot earn distinction designations for the Top 25% Student Progress, and academic
achievement in Reading and Mathematics.
Pairing Process
Districts are given the opportunity to use the same pairing relationship they used in the prior year or to select a new relationship by completing the pairing form on the Texas Education Agency Secure Environment (TEASE) website. In early April, districts with campuses that need to be paired receive instructions on how to access this application on TEASE. Pairing decisions are due by late April each year.
If a district fails to inform the state, pairing decisions are made by agency staff. In the case of campuses that have been paired in the past, staff will assume that prior year pairing relationships still apply. In the case of campuses identified as needing to be paired for the
first time, pairing selections will be made based on the guidelines given in this section in conjunction with analysis of attendance and enrollment patterns using PEIMS data.
Guidelines
Campuses that are paired should have a "feeder" relationship with the selected campus and the grades should be contiguous. For example, a K-2 campus should be paired with the 3-5 campus that accepts its students into 3rd grade. An exception to this is when the campus being asked to pair is a PK or K campus with a ―feeder‖ relationship to a campus that also requires pairing (e.g. a grade 1-2 only campus.) In this case, both the PK-K and grade 1-2 campuses should pair with the same grade 3 and above campus. Do not pair a campus with another campus that is required to be paired.
Pairing with the district is allowable. Campuses may be paired with the district instead of with another campus. This option is suggested for cases where the campus has no clear relationship with another single campus in the district. A campus paired with the district will be evaluated using the district’s assessment results for STAAR (grades 3-8), STAAR EOC, and TAKS (grade 11) for all grades tested in the district.
Note that pairing with the district is not mandatory in these cases. Districts have the choice of selecting another campus or selecting the district. For example, in cases where a K-2 campus feeds into several 3-5 campuses, one of the 3-5 campuses may be selected, or the district can be selected.
Multiple pairings are possible: If several K-2 campuses feed the same 3-5 campus, all of the K-2 campuses may be paired with that 3-5 campus.
Districts may change pairings from year to year; however, these changes should be based on reasonable justification (e.g., a change in attendance zones affecting feeder patterns). As long as pairings are established each and every year, any prior year performance is calculated using the pairing relationships in place for the year in question.
Non-Traditional Educational Settings
Even though districts are responsible for the performance of all their students, statutory
requirements affect the rating calculations for Texas Youth Commission (TYC), Texas Juvenile Probation Commission (TJPC), residential treatment facilities (RTF), juvenile justice alternative education program (JJAEP), and disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) campuses.
Inclusion or Exclusion of Performance Data
The performance of students served in certain campuses cannot be used in evaluating the district where the campus is located. Texas Education Code (TEC) 39.054(f) and 39.055 require that students ordered by a juvenile court into a residential program or facility operated by the Texas Youth Commission, the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, a juvenile board, or any other governmental entity be excluded from the campus and district when determining the
accountability ratings.
Student Attribution Codes
Districts with RTF, TJPC, or TYC campuses are required to submit student attribution codes in PEIMS.
JJAEPs and DAEPs
State statute and statutory intent prohibit the attribution of student performance results to JJAEPs and DAEPs. Each district that sends students to a JJAEP or DAEP is responsible for properly attributing all performance and attendance data to the home campuses according to the PEIMS Data Standards and testing guidelines.
Special Education Campuses
Campuses where all students are served in special education programs and are tested on STAAR will be rated on the performance on their students.
AEA Provisions
Alternative performance measures for campuses serving at-risk students were first implemented in the 1995-96 school year. Over time, these measures expanded to include charters that served large populations of at-risk students. Accountability advisory groups consistently recommend evaluating AECs under separate and/or different AEA provisions due to the large number of students served in alternative education programs on AECs and to ensure these unique campus settings are evaluated appropriately for state accountability.
AEA Campus Identification
AEA provisions are applicable to and appropriate for:
• campuses that offer nontraditional programs rather than programs within a traditional campus,
• campuses that meet the at-risk registration criterion,
• campuses that meet the grades 6-12 enrollment criterion,
• charters that operate only AECs, and
• charters that meet the AEC enrollment criterion.
AEC Eligibility
AECs including charter AECs must serve students “at risk of dropping out of school” as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC) §29.081(d) and provide accelerated instructional services to these students.
AECs have the option to be evaluated under AEA provisions. Campuses that choose not to register are evaluated under standard accountability procedures. The performance results of students at registered AECs are included in the district’s performance and used in determining the district’s accountability rating.
The following types of campuses have the option to register for evaluation under AEA provisions.
• AEC of Choice – At-risk students enroll at AECs of Choice to expedite progress toward performing at grade level and high school completion.
• Residential Facility – Education services are provided to students in private residential treatment centers and residential programs, detention centers, and correctional facilities operated by the TJJD. This includes facilities under contract with the TYC and facilities that are registered with the TJPC.
In this Manual the terms “AEC” and “registered AEC” refer collectively to AECs of Choice and Residential Facilities that are registered for evaluation under AEA provisions and meet the at-risk registration and grades 6-12 enrollment criteria.
DAEPs, JJAEPs, and stand-alone General Educational Development (GED) programs are ineligible for evaluation under AEA provisions. Data for these campuses are attributed to the home campus.
AEA Campus Registration Process
The AEA campus registration process is conducted online using the Texas Education Agency Secure Environment (TEASE) Accountability website. AECs rated under 2011 AEA provisions were re-registered automatically in 2013. An AEA Campus Rescission Form was required from AECs not wishing to remain registered for AEA. An AEA Campus Registration Form was required for each AEC not already on the list of registered AECs that wished to be evaluated under 2013 AEA provisions. AECs for which 2011 AEA registration was rescinded due to not meeting the at-risk registration criterion were required to submit a 2012-13 AEA Campus RegistrationForm if the AEC wished to request AEA campus registration in 2013. The 2013 registration process occurred April 24-May 3, 2013.
AEA Campus Registration Criteria
Eleven (11) criteria are required for campuses to be registered for AEA. However, the requirements in criteria 7-11 may not apply to charter campuses (depending on the terms of the charter) or for community-based dropout recovery campuses established in
accordance with TEC §29.081(e). Criterion 10 applies to Residential Facilities only if students are placed in the facility by the district.
1) The AEC must have its own county-district-campus number to which Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) data are submitted and test answer documents are coded. A program operated within or supported by another campus does not qualify.
2) The AEC must be identified in AskTED (Texas School Directory database) as an alternative campus.
3) The AEC must be dedicated to serving “students at risk of dropping out of school” as defined in TEC §29.081(d).
4) At least 50% of students at the AEC must be enrolled in grades 6-12. 5) The AEC must operate on its own campus budget.
6) The AEC must offer nontraditional settings and methods of instructional delivery designed to meet the needs of the students served on the AEC.
7) The AEC must have an appropriately certified, full-time administrator whose primary duty is the administration of the AEC.
8) The AEC must have appropriately certified teachers assigned in all areas including special education, bilingual education, and/or English as a second language (ESL) to serve students eligible for such services.
9) The AEC must provide each student the opportunity to attend a 7-hour school day as defined in TEC §25.082(a), according to the needs of each student.
10) If the campus has students served by special education, the students must be placed at the AEC by their Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee.
11) Students served by special education must receive all services outlined in their current individualized education programs (IEPs). Limited English proficient students must receive all services outlined by the language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC). Students served by special education or language programs must be served by appropriately certified teachers.
At-Risk Registration Criterion
Each registered AEC must have at least 75% at-risk students enrolled on the AEC verified through current-year PEIMS fall enrollment data in order to remain registered and be evaluated under AEA provisions. An at-risk registration criterion accomplishes two goals. It restricts use of AEA provisions to AECs that serve large populations of at-risk students and enhances at-at-risk data quality.
Prior Year Safeguard. If a registered AEC does not meet the at-risk criterion in the current year, then it remains under AEA if the AEC meets the at-risk criterion in the prior year. For example, an AEC with an at-risk enrollment below 75% in 2013 and at least 75% in 2012 remains registered in 2013.
Grades 6-12 Enrollment Criterion
Each registered AEC must have at least 50% of their students enrolled in grades 6-12 verified through current-year PEIMS fall enrollment data in order to remain registered and be evaluated under AEA provisions. A grades 6-12 enrollment criterion restricts use of AEA provisions to middle and high schools.
Final AEA Campus List
Due to timing between AEA campus registration, PEIMS fall enrollment submission, and PEIMS fall data availability in the spring, the at-risk registration and grades 6-12
enrollment criteria cannot be applied until April. AEA campus registration is rescinded for AECs not meeting the at-risk registration criterion. As a result, the AEC does not qualify for evaluation under AEA provisions.
The Final AEA Campus List is posted on the TEASE Accountability and public websites in May. Additionally, an email is sent to all superintendents when the list is available.
AEA Charter Identification
Charter ratings are based on aggregate performance of the campuses operated by the charter. Performance results of all students in the charter are used in determining the charter’s
accountability rating and for distinction designations.
• Charters that operate only registered AECs will be evaluated under AEA provisions. • Charters that operate both traditional campuses and registered AECs will be evaluated
under AEA provisions if the AEC enrollment criterion described below is met.
• Charters that operate both traditional campuses and registered AECs will be evaluated under traditional accountability procedures if the AEC enrollment criterion described below is not met.
• Charters that operate only traditional campuses, either because the campuses choose not to register for evaluation under AEA or the campuses do not meet the at-risk registration and/or grades 6-12 enrollment criteria, will be evaluated under traditional accountability procedures.
AEC Enrollment Criterion for Charters
In order for a charter that operates both standard campuses and registered AECs to be eligible for evaluation under AEA provisions, the charter must meet the AEC enrollment criterion. At least 50% of the charter’s students must be enrolled at registered AECs. AEC enrollment is verified through current-year PEIMS fall enrollment data.
Final AEA Charter Operator List
After the AEA Campus List is finalized, AEA charters eligible for evaluation under AEA provisions can be identified. The final list of AEA charter operators is posted on the TEASE Accountability and public websites in May. Additionally, an email is sent to all superintendents when the list is available.
AEA Modifications
Modifications to the accountability system for AEA campuses and charters are described below.
2013 Rating Labels
To meet state statutory requirements, the accountability system must identify acceptable and unacceptable campuses and districts. Charters districts and alternative campuses evaluated under AEA provisions will receive one of the following rating labels:
• Met Alternative Standard - Assigned to charter operators and alternative education campuses (AECs) evaluated under alternative education accountability (AEA) provisions that meet modified performance index targets on all indexes for which they have performance data in 2013.
• Improvement Required - Denotes that a charter district or campus did not meet one or more modified performance index targets.
Not Rated: Data Integrity Issues - Indicates that a district or campus is not rated because the accuracy and/or integrity of performance results are compromised, and it is not
possible to assign a rating label based on the evaluation of performance. This label may be assigned permanently or temporarily pending an on-site investigation.
2013 Index Targets
AECs and charters evaluated under AEA provisions must meet the modified targets.
Targets Non-AEA Districts and Campuses and Campuses AEA Districts
Index 1: Student Achievement 50 25
Index 2: Student Progress 5campus type* th percentile by 5th percentile**
Index 3: Closing Performance Gaps 55 30
Index 4: Postsecondary Readiness 75 45
* Targets for non-AEA campuses correspond to about the fifth percentile of non-AEA campus performance by campus type. Targets for non-AEA districts correspond to about the fifth percentile of non-AEA campus performance across all campus types.
** Targets for AEA campuses will be set at about the fifth percentile of AEA campus performance and will be applied to both AEA campuses and charters.
Residential Facilities
AECs identified as Residential Facilities and districts that operate only Residential Facilities will not be evaluated in 2013. Performance index results will be reported, but no rating label will be assigned.
Index 4 Modifications
AECs and charters evaluated under AEA provisions are evaluated on Index 4 with modifications described in Chapter 5 – Performance Index Indicators.
